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“Well, you girls have fun. Come by the distillery sometime, and I’ll give you a tour.” He points to me. “I’ll see you in a few minutes?”
“I’ll be there.”
Alex heads to his car, driving away in the growing twilight, and I walk with Britt and the bike to the road. Again the fucking tightness is in my chest, and the thought of her riding to town alone in the dark has me on edge.
“I could drive you to town.” I lightly steady her arm as she climbs on the bike.
“I’ll be okay. You need to visit with your family.”
“Maybe just shoot me a text when you get there? Drivers don’t always watch out for bikes around here, especially not at night.”
She lifts her chin, wrinkling her nose adorably. “How did I ever make it to twenty-eight without you?”
“I’ve been working in law enforcement too long.”
Her hand covers mine on the handlebars, briefly giving it a squeeze. “I’ll text you. Have fun tonight with your brothers.”
“Have fun at your tickle panty party.”
Another laugh and she pushes off, riding away in the dark. I stand at the edge of the driveway with my arms crossed, watching her go and wondering how it happened. How did I get to the point where I’m standing here, watching her ride away while mentally restraining myself from driving after her?
It’s happening. The thing I don’t believe in, the thing I rejected years ago, is sneaking its way into my chest again, and I can’t seem to stop it.
CHAPTER16
BRITT
“My signature scent!” I throw my arms around Cass’s shoulders as she enters my small apartment carrying a bag of her homemade lotions. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
“It’s the least I could do.” She pats my arm, placing the bag on the bar beside three shot glasses. “Don’t want you to start vabbing.”
It’s the first time the three of us have been together for a slumber party since I left for Greenville, and I’m so excited… And maybe a little distracted by thoughts of Aiden.
And my mother’s ominous tarot reading, which I’m still working to compartmentalize in my brain. I’m not letting her scare me anymore or doubt my judgment. Still, if she knows something that will help me solve this case, I have to tolerate her eccentric behavior for a few days.
“I just barfed a little in my mouth.” Piper twists the top off a bottle of tequila and pours each of us a shot.
“Why? What the hell is vabbing?” I call over Shania Twain blasting from my Bluetooth speaker.
Piper puts the bottle on the bar, I take a quick picture of it with our three glasses and send it to Aiden with a text,Tequila shots starting.
He was so cute this afternoon. All six-foot-sexy of his grumpy self towering over me, wanting to drive my truck and then asking me to text him when I got home. It’s something I’ve never had in my whole life—someone watching over me, wanting to keep me safe. I’ve always been on my own in that department, and I like this new situation.
I like Aiden Stone worrying about me.
“You haven’t heard of the ickiest TikTok trend?” Cass’s eyes widen dramatically, and she takes her shot glass, holding it high in the air. “To the Whoopass Girls, together again!”
We clink and do our shots fast, snatching up lime wedges and sucking the juice as we squeal. Edward sits up and barks at our noise, which makes us laugh.
“You’re upsetting the Notorious D.O.G.” Piper walks over to scratch his head and calm him down while Cass continues with her explanation.
“Vabbing is when youdabyour finger in yourvagthen put the juices on your neck like cologne. To attract a man… or a woman, I guess.”
I’m halfway to the refrigerator when I stop in my tracks. “That isnota thing.”
“I don’t know how common it is, but that’s the definition.”
“For starters, it doesn’t make any sense.” I take out a ginger ale and carry it to where Piper is standing by the bar. “Unless you have an infection or you’re on your period, vaginal secretions have no odor.”
